Neighbors want to buy public-access point on this Pierce County lake. Cue local firestorm

At the end of a Lakewood neighborhood street a small, winding path trails through brambly blackberry brush to a patch of shallow rocky shoreline on Lake Steilacoom.

The small spot, marked by a twisted guardrail, has become a point of neighborhood controversy that was the subject of hot debate during a two-hour public hearing at Monday’s Lakewood City Council meeting. It’s one of seven public access points to Lake Steilacoom, on 100th Street Southwest lying west of Dekoven Drive.

Two next-door neighbors have petitioned the city to vacate the property and let them buy it and maintain it after they say negligence in maintaining the site has brought crime and blight to their end of the block.

Other neighbors and residents who don’t live on the lake have called for the City Council to reject the petition. They say the city should be doing more to protect and improve public access to the water and say they’re concerned about the precedent a property sale like that would set.

Further debate and a decision about the vacation is slated for Aug. 19, city spokesperson Brynn Grimley told The News Tribune. Per state law, Lakewood must consider if the street to be vacated is suitable by the city for use by port, boat moorage, launching sites, beach or water access, park, public view, recreation or education. The city must also make a finding on whether the vacation is in the public interest, Grimley said.

Approving a vacation would require a simple majority vote in favor, and petitioners would pay the city fair market value for the property. That money “may be used by the city or town only for acquiring additional beach or water access, acquiring additional public view sites to a body of water, or acquiring additional moorage or launching sites,” per RCW 35.79.035, Grimley said.

The site in question is about 12,100 square feet, and if the sale is approved, the land would be divided equally between the abutting properties, associate civil engineer Franc Sawatzki said in emailed responses to residents, as detailed in the City Council agenda packet.

Lakewood is also considering turning the area into a small public park if the site is not vacated, Sawatzki said.

Petitioners say sale would benefit Edgewater Park improvements

In testimony to the council Monday, one of the petitioners, Clint Johnson, said he supports “responsible, safe, well-maintained public access.” But the city’s limited resources have resulted in the public access point in his neighborhood being neglected, which is why some neighbors have petitioned the city to vacate the property, he said.

Crime at the end of the block has been an issue for residents in the last couple of years, Johnson said. His family’s house has been broken into and things have been stolen, and there is drug use at the access point as well as littering, he said.

John Crabill, another petitioner, testified that his family has experienced theft and vandalism, seen unsafe fires built during fire season, drug activity, police chases and littering.

“When we heard that the city is moving forward with Edgewater Park improvements, we felt now would be a good time to revisit the topic of vacating the street end,” Crabill said. “It is our belief that the funds from this sale would directly benefit Edgewater Park or another site on Lake Steilacoom.”

In a letter to neighbors shared with The News Tribune, co-owners Johnson and Sharlynn Gates said they have no intention of developing on the acquired parcel and expect it to remain in its natural state with some landscaping and fencing improvements.

“It is unrealistic to expect City agencies to police, clean up or otherwise care manage this small piece of land,” Johnson and Gates said in the letter. “It has been a challenge for the City to keep up with security, sanitation, restrooms, parking and other amenities at Edgewater Park. It is unrealistic to expect the City to take on a similar role with the other six underdeveloped street ends on Lake Steilacoom.”

Selling the property to neighbors would also address private encroachments on public land, Johnson said Monday.

Prior to the public hearing, the City Council approved a $88,063 agreement to demolish a different house on Lake Steilacoom that encroached on public property in order to make way for a new parking lot and boat launch at Edgewater Park.

Upon conducting a land survey and appraisal at his family’s expense, Johnson said they discovered their 1950-built home encroaches on city right-of-way property, including their carport, bedroom and kitchen. The family’s garden encroaches the right-of-way as well, according to street ends water access report in the council agenda packet.

“Obviously, that’s a concern,” Johnson said. “Should the city decide to develop, we’re looking at that issue.”

Loss of public access?

More than half of the 30 people who spoke during Monday’s public comment period opposed vacating the access point. Many of them worried it would set a precedent that could result in the loss of other public access points to the lake to favor the few who can afford lakefront property.

“This street end is a vital community resource. Its closure would have a significant negative impact in the neighborhood and the broader community at large,” said Jason Gerwen, the chair of the Lakewood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and a deputy parks director, who spoke Monday as a private citizen. “I’ve been on the Parks Board for over 20 years, and one of our main goals has been to provide more lake access and this spot does provide that. There are a total of 13 street ends in the city. The city needs to keep all of them and not vacate any of them.”

Gerwen said the petition for vacation doesn’t meet the requirements for vacation under RCW 35.79.035. He said the site is suitable for a public park or beach access, and the vacation isn’t sought to enable the city to acquire the property for other public purposes or to transfer jurisdiction.

A conceptual design for improvements to the street end, dated Jan. 11, 2023, shows a beach enhancement with timber steps, log benches, boulders, picnic table, path, native meadow, street end marker, bike rack and street art at the end of 100th Street Southwest.

Dawn Walden, who has lived up the street from the access point since 2016, told The News Tribune on Wednesday she understands all perspectives on the issue, but said she didn’t think police chases and crime would necessarily stop “just because someone else owns the property.”

Walden said she hasn’t seen many people use the access point until the public hearing sign went up.

Neighbors do support public access, “But at the same time, I think there are far better locations for a park or public access and use,” she said. “It’s just really not that great.”